NEWSLETTER
Attention … attention, please! Have your pencil and scorecards ready … and I’ll give you … the correct lineup … for today’s ball game.
If that sounds familiar, it’s because of this.
Anyway … the following Chicago Bears players will have new numbers in 2023 (so I hope you have your pencils and scorecards ready):
WR DJ Moore (2) — ICYMI: The Bears have a new WR1. And he’ll be wearing the number he has been wearing in Carolina since 2021.
K Cairo Santos (8) — I hope Moore is taking Santos out to dinner for the number swap. Let’s put some respect on Santos’ name. After all, the guy has made 90.6% of his kicks since re-joining the Bears in 2020.
QB P.J. Walker (15) — There are some fun names among those who wore No. 15 for the Bears at some point since 1999. This group includes Jim Miller (1999-2002), Josh McCown (2011), Brandon Marshall (2012-14), Josh Bellamy (2017-18), and Eddy Piñeiro (2019). Remember that one Trevor Siemian start in 2022? Fun times.
P Ryan Anderson (17) — Associate Tank Commander Tim Boyle wore No. 17 last year. So did Ihmir Smith-Marsette, who won a Super Bowl ring with the Chiefs in February but will be more known for his mishaps in Chicago around these parts. Hopefully, we don’t see much of the punter in 2023 (unless he is holding PATs).
TE Robert Tonyan (18) — Wearers of this number are all over the map. Taylor Gabriel (2018-19), Dane Sanzenbacher (2011-12), Chris Boniol (1999), Mike Tomczak (1985-90), and Kyle Orton (2005-08). What a group of names.
Let the record show that the last TE2 to wear No. 18 (Jesse James) quickly built a connection with Justin Fields. Let’s hope history repeats itself in 2023 with Tonyan.
RB Travis Homer (20) — There are some names who have worn No. 20 that’ll take you back to a specific place and time. Among them are Prince Amukamara (2017-29), Adam Archuleta (2007), Thomas Jones (2004-06), James Allen (1998-02), Mark Carrier (1990-96), and Mike Adamle (1975-76).
RB D’Onta Foreman (29) — The No. 29 has had mixed results during my time as a Bears fan. I have fond memories of Raymont Harris (1994-97), Adrian Peterson (2002-09), and Tarik Cohen (2017-21). But Michael Bush (2012-13) and Chester Taylor (2010) muck it up. Hopefully, Foreman can bring some good vibes to that number gain. He could also use a cool running back nickname like Harris’ “The Ultraback” … so we’ll need to get the committee working not that one.
LB Tremaine Edmunds (49) — Edmunds has worn No. 49 since his college days at Virginia Tech. After wearing it for each of his five seasons in Buffalo, he’ll continue to wear it in Chicago. It might take some getting used to seeing a number in the 40s as a middle linebacker, but I can dig it if the highlights come.
LB T.J. Edwards (53) — I’m surprised Edwards didn’t try to wrangle No. 57 from fellow Wisconsin product (and Badgers teammate) Jack Sanborn. Instead, Edwards will wear No. 53 which has been worn recently by Nicholas Morrow (2022), Arlington Hambright (2021), Ledarius Mack (2021), John Timo (2015-17), and Brian Urlacher sidekick Warrick Holdman (1999-2003).
LB Dylan Cole (55) — The Bears can’t retire numbers anymore because they’ve already retired too many. So Cole will wear a number that many associate with fan-favorite linebackers such as Lance Briggs and Doug Buffone. Defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad wore it last year, but that feels like the only factoid worth remembering about his time in Chicago.
RG Nate Davis (64) — No. 64 is such a perfect number for a guard, so it’s perfect for the Bears’ newest starting right guard. Defensive lineman Mike Pennel Jr. wore it last year. But former Bears offensive linemen Alex Bars (2019-22), Eric Kush (2016-18), Rex Tucker (1999-2004), and Andy Heck (1994-98) are among the former offensive linemen who wore those digits.
DT Jalyn Holmes (90) — Holmes wore No. 95 last year, but a Bears free-agent addition’s arrival nudges a returning player into a new number. The No. 90 has had some good days with the Bears (Julius Peppers comes to mind). Maybe more are on the way.
DL Andrew Brown (92) — Brown wore No. 94 after Robert Quinn was dealt to the Eagles, but is changing to numbers to No. 92 in 2023.
DL Rasheem Green (94) — After playing with the No. 92 with the Texans last year, Green adds a pair of digits to the number. Robert Quinn wore it for the Bears from 2019-22 and broke the franchise’s single-season sack record wearing No. 94 in 2021. We’ll not discuss how Quinn played in the number in 2022.
DE DeMarcus Walker (95) — Walker wore No. 95 with Tennessee and will stick with that number as he arrives in Chicago. The former Titans, Broncos, and Texans defensive lineman is in line to snag a starting role on a Bears defense that lacked firepower in the trenches last year.
No pressure, dude. But just know that Hall of Fame Richard Dent starred wearing No. 95. Again … no pressure!
For the more visually inclined, the Bears’ Twitter page made up a nifty graphic:
And to think, we’ll get to add more players (and new numbers!) in about two weeks when the NFL Draft happens.
